Home Extension planning software

M32

I am considering an extension to my house and was wondering if there is any good (free or cheap) software I can use to draw up the plans, the final result should be suitable for submitting to my local council planning department. Also if anyone has any advice from experience and good weblinks to share that would be great.

Thanks

macman

Google Sketchup?

Kiran

If you have the knowledge already, or the time to learn, you can download free CAD programs. TurboCAD is the only one I have used before, its not a patch on using AutoCAD howeve it is significantly cheaper.

As Macman said, Sketch up was my only other suggestion but I've never tried using it to draw a 2D plan

ormus

sketchup pro does 2D layouts.
you get 8 hrs free use, before you have to buy a licence.
(expensive).

M32

Thanks for all your replies , I have a little experience with drawing packages (mainly Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator) so hopefully It shouldnt be that much more difficult to get the hang of autoCAD.

dander

I did plans for my extension and found it quicker and easier to draw by hand on graph paper than learn to use a CAD package. It really is a very specific skillset to use them and not the kind of thing you can easily just pick up and run with. Didn't find any other kind of free programmes that were really flexible enough to produce good, accurate measurements and angles. Also found it much easier to get elevations that looked visually appealing by hand - which depending on what kind of thing you're applying for can be a pretty important part of the deal.